Whatever the Cost
by roo the psycho
Summary: Spoils for ch 411. They beat Tartarus and stopped Face. Now forever stuck as half a demon, Gray finds that even though he sacrificed half of his humanity for the sake of the magical world, not everyone will come to accept his new appearance. Faced with such new hardships so suddenly, he nearly falls under the pressure. But luckily, a certain Dragon Slayer is always by his side GxN
1. Chapter 1: For the Future

Whatever the Cost

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Chapter One: For the Future

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_Summary: Spoilers for Chapter 411. They beat Tartarus and stopped Face. Now forever stuck as half a demon, Gray finds that even though he sacrificed half of his humanity for the sake of the magical world, not everyone will come to accept his new appearance. Faced with such new hardships so suddenly, he nearly falls under the pressure. But luckily, a certain Dragon Slayer is always by his side urging him on._

_Pairings: Natray (But there WILL be small parts of Gratsu); mentions of JelErz, ElfEver, GajLev, and Silver x Mika._

_Warnings: ooc (hopefully not, but this IS my first FT fanfic, so there probably will be ooc. I apologize in advance), swearing, violence, light discrimination, mentions of character death._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or that sexy half-demon Gray. Don't you think he looks so much more __**ravaging**__ with his new appearance? I certainly think he does!_

_**Quick Author's Note before I start this. I am not fully educated in Magnolia and all it's magical principles. So if anything is wrong, please forgive me and let me know. Also, this is a "what if?" story. "What if Gray had to live with half his body demonized?" So please enjoy this! If not, I apologize!**_

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_Some folk we never forget  
__Some kind we never forgive  
__Haven't seen the back of us yet  
__We'll fight as long as we live_

_-Song of the Lonely Mountain (Neil Finn)_

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Three weeks had passed since Fairy Tail beat Tartarus and saved the magical world, but there was one mage who still hadn't celebrated with the guild.

Natsu sat beside one of the few beds in the room, his eyes staring intently at the silent figure before him. He figured if he thought and stared hard enough, the mage on the bed would suddenly wake up. But that didn't happen, and all the pinkette got was a headache. He let out a sigh, crossing his arms over his chest, and slouched into the chair for a more comfortable position. He could hear the rest of the guild celebrating outside; their noisy but ecstatic shouts, their happy laughter, their boisterous tales. He would have been out there with them – after all, he was usually one of the first ones to break into a celebration after they completed a mission or just barely managed to save the world. And above all, he had another important reason to celebrate: he found Igneel, his father, after so many years. His eyes drifted from the window back down the mage on the bed.

But his worry for his closest friend was far more important than any celebration.

After they had defeated the master of Tartarus and stopped Face, Gray had collapsed in exhaustion, blood loss, and magic depletion. It didn't take a doctor to realize the ice mage had pushed his body _far_ past its limits. Then there was the other problem. Natsu's eyes landed on the left half of Gray's body. The master, along with everyone else in the guild, had been startled when they took in the mage's appearance. Instantly everyone began to look for a way to cure the ice mage. But after a week of constant searching, it was Levy who gave the news.

There was no way for Gray to ever be fully human again.

And that worried everyone.

Hearing of half-human half-demon beings were unheard of, and they had no idea how this would affect Gray's physiology and mentality. _"All we can do now is wait for him to wake, and be there for him every step of the way."_ Natsu's fists clenched tightly as he remembered the fight with Mard Geer. Gray had taken the full curse, Momento Mori, and when the clouds of dust settled, half of his body had been demonized. The dragon slayer had thought long and hard about that memory over the past few weeks. At first he thought it was Geer's curse that'd done that to Gray, but he clearly remembered how shocked the Underworld King had been to see the mage still alive. So that meant either it'd been a side effect of the attack hitting Gray…or the mage had half-demonized himself _on purpose_.

He stared at the tattoo on Gray's right arm. He'd never seen that before and still wondered where he got the demon slayer magic from. _"This is for my dad!"_ So that guy – Silver was his name, if he remembered correctly – had been Gray's father? Then how'd…? He shook his head. He had too many questions for the ice mage when he woke up. He gave another sigh, this one with more frustration, and stared at the ceiling. His muscles were tense and his brow furrowed. Gray had nearly sacrificed his own life for the sake of Natsu's. No, he'd nearly sacrificed his life for the _future_.

_"For the future."_ Natsu had managed to hear Gray say those words when the curse was launched, and he wondered what the ice had meant in that moment. It wasn't until the mage fell did he finally understand what he meant._ "To…make…way for…the future… All…I can…do now…is… Believe in Natsu."_

His heart throbbed at the memory. He honestly thought Gray had died for a moment, and the pain of that thought, the raw _rage_ he felt gave him a moment of an unquenchable thirst for the enemies blood. He wanted to _kill_ the demon who _dared_ hurt his friend. Who _dared_ hurt the man Natsu had come to secretly love. He mentally scoffed at himself. Only he could fall for his rival, for someone who was a near polar opposite of himself. He bared his teeth at the thought of Gray never wake up.

"You better be alright when you wake up," he whispered. "You better be alright."

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_**This was more of a prologue than anything, and I apologize it's so short. The other chapters will be longer, I promise. (I may add to this later, too. If I do, I'll let you guys know.) Updates may be slow because I have a job now, so please be patient with me! Thank you! I do accept criticism, but don't kill me with it okay? Thanks. R&amp;R please!**_

»_roo the ice elemental psycho«_


	2. Chapter 2: A Panicked Awakening

Whatever the Cost

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Chapter Two: A Panicked Awakening

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_Some folk we never forget  
__Some kind we never forgive  
__Haven't seen the back of us yet  
__We'll fight as long as we live_

_-Song of the Lonely Mountain (Neil Finn)_

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**Spoilers for Chapter 412 if you haven't read it yet.**

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Natsu didn't want to admit it, but he was starting to get bored. The constant worry still gnawed at his mind every second that the ice mage wouldn't wake, but the overall boredom was starting to eat at him as well. He refused to leave Gray's side for even a moment – unless he had to use the bathroom – and kept a watchful eye for any signs for when his best friend would start to awake. His stomach gave a growl, making him sigh as he stood up from the chair he'd been practically glued to for the past two weeks. He stretched his arms over his head, hearing several pops as some tension left his limbs. He walked over the window and looked down into the new guild.

The very same day they stopped Face, they were regarded as heroes in Fiore. Every reporter wanted an interview with them, every columnist wrote about them. When the land discovered just what Fairy Tail had done, how they'd saved the magical world, nearly all construction workers in the vicinity gathered around the broken guild and decided to a build a new one. With all the different workers, each holding their own special skills, the new guild was up in under a week. It was a little bigger than the previous one with all the same unique features. Stage for performances, pool in the back, hot baths, a bigger bar. The architecture was nearly the same, but with a few minor differences here and there. Some doorways held subtle designs of fairies etched in them, others had the guild sign carved beautifully at the top. The members of the guild were more than impressed and thankful, and a party was held the very day the new guild opened for the construction workers and all their hard work.

From the corner of his eye Guildarts spotted a head of pink hair appear in the window on the second floor, and gave a soft smile. He knew Natsu was starting to grow bored, he'd seen the way the pinkette fidgeted every now and then while he sat in his chair. He looked up and caught the dragon slayer's eyes, motioning for him to come down. Natsu's head lightly tilted to the side before the looked back at Gray with worried eyes. Guildarts knew what that meant. _"I don't want to leave him alone."_ When their eyes connected again, the older mage gave an understanding smile and motioned once more to come down and join the guild.

_"He'll still be there when you get back,"_ his eyes said. Natsu looked torn between going down to see all his friends and staying by his love's side. He glanced once more at Gray's still form.

"I'll… I'll be right back," he mumbled to the mage as he walked towards the door. "Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone, droopy eyes."

His heart slightly fell when he heard no comeback, and gave a sigh as he walked out of the room.

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_The darkness was everywhere he looked. It didn't let him escape its grasp, didn't let him move, didn't let him speak. He was frozen in the dark silence. He fought hard against its hold, but no matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't move a single muscle. It scared him. How long had he been there? How did he get there? How long would he __**stay**__? All of his senses were gone, almost as if he'd been stuck in a sense deprivation tank. No sound, taste, touch, smell, or sight. He knew his eyes were closed, but he could sense the darkness's presence surround him. Would he ever wake up? He tried to open his eyes once more, but they refused to even acknowledge the order his mind gave them. He could feel the panic in his mind bubble and grow even more. He wanted __**out**__._

_"I'll… I'll be right back." Nearly instantly, he calmed. He tried to furrow his brows at the voice that resounded throughout the darkness. He knew that voice. Who did it belong to? Why was it the only thing he'd ever hear besides the silence? He listened closely to it this time, catching several emotions in it. Worry was the strongest and clearest one to be heard. "Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone, droopy eyes." He mentally grit his teeth. He didn't know why, but being called 'droopy eyes' by this voice made him want to hit something. Or some__**one**__. He tried to curl his hand into a fist, but it refused to listen to him. He continued to try anyway, putting all his strength into the action._

_He __**really**__ wanted to punch the owner of the voice._

In reality, as Natsu left the room, he missed the sight of Gray's fingers twitching ever so lightly.

* * *

Everyone in the guild was happy to see their feisty little dragon slayer was finally taking a break of "lookout duty". He was nearly tackled with several hugs and he managed to avoid several of the more dangerous ones – one of them being Erza's. While he liked that she missed him, he wasn't exactly fond of her 'gentle' hugs. "Look! It's Natsu Dragneel! Natsuuuu!" Natsu could tell, without even looking back, that a reporter had spotted him and was probably itching for an interview with him. After all, he hadn't been seen by the public since Gray had collapsed after the battle. He turned to face the reporter and he thought the guy was going to have a heart attack for a moment. If Natsu had been popular after the Grand Magic Games, then it was nothing compared to now. The guy before him looked like he had just seen God and was ready to worship the pinkette. It slightly disturbed Natsu on a certain level.

"Will you do an interview with me? Please?" Natsu blinked. The man's eyes had practically become _sparkles_, he was so excited and eager. _'What the hell happened to his eyes…?'_

"Uh…sure. As long as it doesn't take too long–"

"Thank you, sir! It won't take long at all! And could I have your autograph? My family and I are really big fans!" As he signed a photograph of himself, Natsu distantly wondered if it was even safe for him to leave the guild. He really didn't want to be torn apart by rabid, insane, hardcore fans. He gave a nervous laugh at just the idea.

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_Coldness crept up the left side of his body. He tried to jerk away from the feel, but still his body refused to listen to him. _'What's going on? What is that?!'_ It was the coldest thing he'd ever felt, numbing his skin after only being there for two seconds. It crept up from his left foot, up the left side of his torso, all the way up past his left eye. He could feel his eye turn into what felt like a ball of ice behind his eyelid. Before he could try to react, he felt the left side of his body move. _'I…I can move again!'_ But when he wished for his body to move, it still refused to listen to him. Suddenly, his left eye opened by itself, and his left arm lifted into the air as his left leg bent in._

_He wasn't in control of half his body._

_Though his left eye had opened, he couldn't see through it. _'What's going on? Why can't I…?'_ Suddenly, an image appeared in his mind. It was half of a creature, all black with light blue markings that appeared here and there on its skin. It's eye was an icy blue with a thin ring of crimson red lining the outer part of iris. Then the creature __**smiled**__. Its half-mouth pulled up into an evil grin that made shivers go down his spine. He stared at the creature in his mind with a mix of dread and fear. He didn't know what it was, or what it wanted. In a blink of an eye, it moved. Its face took up his whole mind's eye. The red rimming the iris suddenly grew until the entire iris was no long blue, but crimson._

_"Time to wake up, my precious puppet."_

His eyes snapped open, and flew up into a sitting position. A scream was caught in his throat, and he choked for a moment before air finally entered his lungs and he was able to breath once more. He could feel his heart racing in his chest. The image of the creature was burned into his mind, and just the thought of it sent a small shudder through his body. Once his breathing was nearly back to normal and his heart had calmed down, he looked around the room to see where he was. It was a small room with about ten beds, and he found it completely unfamiliar. _'Where am–'_ His mind suddenly cut off the thought when realization hit on him.

"Who…Who am I?" He felt his fear spike and panic nearly flooded his mind. His breathing picked up once more. "Who am I? Why don't I remember? Oh God, wh-where…" He felt on edge. He had no idea where he was, how he got there, _who_ he was. He looked down to see what he was wearing when his eyes caught sight of his left arm. "Huh? What–" His eyes widened.

It was the arm of the creature he'd seen in his mind.

The scream left his throat before he could even stop it. He tried to crawl away from the limb before him, but of course it was of no use. It was _his arm_. He looked down and saw his foot was in the same state. Lifting up his shirt, he was horrified to see the whole left side of his torso – at least everything that wasn't bandaged up – was black with those blue markings. He dropped his shirt back down and leaned back against the headboard of the bed. No, no this couldn't be. It _couldn't_. That creature couldn't be apart of him…right? The door to the room suddenly slammed open, making him jump and lean even harder against the back of the bed. A teen with pink hair wearing a scarf instantly ran to his side, his eyes wide with worry.

"Gray? What's wrong?" That voice. That was the voice he had heard when he was lost in the darkness.

"Who are you? Where am I?"

"Gray…? What are you–"

"Gr…ay?" The word slipped off his lips. Why did that name sound so familiar? Was it his name? His head suddenly throbbed. He gave a hiss, then another throb came. And another.

"Gray? Gray! Hey! What's–"

_Blood. He remembered blood on the white snow. The sound of screams filled the air. His mother was dead. So was his father. Something had destroyed his town and everything he'd loved. A demon. Deliora? Yeah, that was it. A woman appeared before him. Ur. Who was she again? Oh yeah, his master. Next to her was Lyon, her other student. Coldness. Snow, stripping. He was an ice mage. Maker magic. Then tears. Sadness, regret, guilt. They filled his chest. Why? Iced Shell…? Deliora was frozen. Ur was giving her life for him. Deliora died ten years later. At Galuna island. Then a guild appeared. Fairy Tail? That's right. Erza, Mira, Lisanna, Guildarts, Laxus… So many mages. Master Makarov… Natsu. That's right. Natsu was there. His friend. His rival. His love. Wait, love? Huh. He hadn't realized he'd fallen for the mage. Lucy… Her Celestial Spirits… Wendy, Gajeel, Juvia… New members. Achnologia. Seven years passed? Grand Magic Games. Tartarus. His father…was alive? No, he died. Demon Slayer Magic? His dad passed it to him. To stop END. To stop Face and Tartarus. Wait, Tartarus…? Wasn't he…the king of the Underworld?_

_"A long time ago, magic was born as one. Eventually, it developed into many different kinds of magic. Historically, END created a new possibility for magic. Curses. The source of their power are actually 'curses'. Hatred… Envy… Grudges… All negative feelings make them stronger. They are based on the nature of life. Magic has no future. Curses are superior in all aspects. Fall in to Purgatory. This is the ultimate curse I devised to destroy Zeref." Screaming. He could hear Natsu screaming. Purgatory? No. No, he couldn't let that happen. They had to stop Face no matter what. He could feel the powerful energy emanating from the curse that surrounded them. Even though he wasn't a Dragon Slayer, he could smell it. Death. This curse meant instant __**death**__._

_"The memory of death. Momento Mori! To kill Zeref the Immortal…I must destroy the concept of Life and Death. Those hit by this curse are neither dead or alive. They just vanish. Become…'Nothing'."_ _He couldn't let the future of Fiore fall to this Demon. He couldn't. For the future, he was willing to make a sacrifice. For Natsu… For Natsu, he was willing to give __**everything**__. _'Maybe a Demon can survive this curse… Maybe… For the future… For Natsu…!'_ Coldness. His left side suddenly felt…different. Then he was falling. He heard Natsu call his name. He'd done it, then. He had saved Natsu…and that meant he'd saved the future._

_"But I, too, believe in…Gray!" Ice Devil's Zeroth Destruction Bow. One hit to end it. Then Face had activated. And all the dragons, flying through the skies of Ishgar, blew up all the remaining Faces. Then…Then…_

"–ay! Gray, snap out of it!" Gray snapped back reality, and he found the very concerned face of Natsu before him. "Hey, are you alright? Do you…do you remember me?"

"Y…Yeah. Sorry, I just… I didn't remember anything thing for a moment," Gray answered, his voice raspy. He cringed at the sound. "Water," he croaked. Natsu didn't hesitate for a second, going over to the other side of the room to grab and pour a glass of water. Gray furrowed his brows as Natsu came back over. Taking the glass, he immediately began to drink; feeling the water's cool temperature sooth his throat. "Why was the pitcher all the way over there?"

"It kept freezing when we had it beside your bed," Natsu answered. "Glad to see you're finally awake." The ice mage was slightly surprised to hear that the statement was actually _sincere_. It didn't have an inch of sarcasm in it. Gray studied the pinkette for a moment. Yup, no doubt about it. That was a genuine smile on the dragon slayer's face. He gave a small smile himself.

"How long was I out for?"

"Two and a half weeks."

"What?" Eighteen days…? That was a long time. He looked down at his left side and furrowed his brows. Did it have to do with the fact that he'd demonized half his body? _'Wait a minute. I've been out for that long? Then shouldn't my body have reverted back to normal by now?'_

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_Ten minutes earlier_

Natsu had just finished answering yet another question when he first noticed it: the smell of fear. He furrowed his brows and turned, looking around the guild to see who was in such a state. But everyone was smiling and laughing, not a single person showed an ounce of fear. "Mister Dragneel? Is everything okay?"

"Uhm…" He scanned the room once more. Had he merely imagined it? He had to have. He turned back to the reporter. "Yeah. Sorry." But the feeling was still nagging at the back of his mind. Something was wrong. Why had it been fear of all things? He tried to focus on the next question that was thrown at him, but he completely missed it the first time. "Can ya repeat tha–" There it was again. Fear. This time, the smell was stronger, and mixed with another scent. _Gray._ He stood up from the table he was at and started heading for the healing room.

"U-Uh, Mr. Dragneel? Where are…" That was when he heard the scream. His eyes widened and he stopped for only a moment. The sound had grabbed the attention of the entire guild. They all knew that voice. "Wh-What was that?" the reporter asked. One of the guild members began to run for the healing room but Natsu gave a growl.

"Wait! I'll check on him." He was running for room Gray was in, distantly hearing Erza 'escorting' the reporter out of the guild. "Dammit! The one time I leave his side…!" The scent of fear was growing stronger. Why was Gray so afraid? He slammed the door open, fists ready to fight if that was case. Instead, his eyes landed on the very awake form of Gray. He felt relief to see his friend awake, but then he saw the confusion and fear. "Gray? What's wrong?"

"Who are you? Where am I?" Natsu blinked in confusion. _'Who am I? Does… Does he not remember me?'_ He felt his heart throb at the idea. No, Gray _had_ to remember. He couldn't forget all the memories he'd created in Fairy Tail. _'He's already sacrificed enough…don't take away his memory as well!'_

"Gray…? What are you–"

"Gr…ay?" The confusion wasn't a play, he really didn't remember who he was. Then the ice mage was suddenly clutching his head, a look of pain crossing his face. Natsu was instantly at his side, gripping his shoulders.

"Gray? Gray! Hey, what's wrong?" Gray's eyes were wide open, staring blankly at the bed below. "Gray!" What happened? Was he remembering something? Natsu almost wanted to sigh. Everything connected to the ice mage was so complex. But then again, it was just one of the many things that drew him towards the mage. He gave a small growl instead, gently shaking the mage's shoulders. "Gray! Gray, snap out of it!" Finally, Gray's head moved and their eyes connected. No longer did they look confused. He saw recognition in those eyes. Good. "Hey, are you alright? Do you...do you remember me?"

"Y…Yeah. Sorry, I just… I didn't remember anything for a moment. …Water." Natsu turned to pour some fresh water and brought back to the mage. "Why was the pitcher all the way over there?"

"It kept freezing when we had it beside your bed." It'd been annoying, really. The first time it happened, Natsu had gotten thirsty and had reached over to pour himself a drink…only to find it frozen solid. He soon learned after that that any liquid within two feet of the ice mage froze. "Glad to see you're finally awake," he smiled brightly. The worry finally washed away. Gray wasn't in a coma, he was up and about. Well, okay, not up and 'about', just up so far. Still, it was good progress.

"How long was I out for?" Yep, leave it to Gray to go right back to business. He did catch the small smile though, making him smile a little more.

"Two and a half weeks."

"What?" Natsu, too, was surprised at that. The longest Gray had ever stayed unconscious after a fight was three days. Eighteen days were just too long; it'd felt like an eternity waiting for Gray to awaken.

Natsu didn't fail to notice the light confusion in the ice mage's eyes as he studied his left arm, and he felt his shoulders drop a little. One of the main reasons he hadn't left Gray's side was because he wanted to be there when the mage awoke…and tell him the current situation. But now that the time came to do it, he found it extremely difficult to tell him. "About that…" Gray looked up and saw how the pinkette was struggling with himself. Natsu grit his teeth. "We searched for a way to revert your body back to normal. There…" He took in a deep breath. "There isn't any cure for that, Gray. It's permanent."

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**And sucky ending is suckeh! Sorry about that. This chapter…I feel like I kind of failed on it. Let me know what you think about it. If anything should be changed, edited, or added on, let me know and I'll do my best to edit it. I know there was some slight ooc, but, hopefully, there won't be any more. o.o This chapter aside, thank you all so much for reviewing the first chapter! You guys really helped make my week! :D**

**As for those who find the concept of uke!Gray being ooc, I'm not gonna make him girlish or shy or anything like that. In my view, neither Natsu **_**or**_** Gray are ukes. They're both semes. That's why I believe that they switch roles all the time. But this story calls for Natsu making the first moves. And there _will_ be small occasional moments of Gratsu.**

**I also have a poll on my page for a future story. Check out if you have the time, please. :]**

_»roo the ice elemental psycho«_


	3. Chapter 3: Home

Whatever the Cost

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Chapter Three: Home

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_Some folk we never forget  
__Some kind we never forgive  
__Haven't seen the back of us yet  
__We'll fight as long as we live_

_-Song of the Lonely Mountain (Neil Finn)_

* * *

_**Chapter warning: I am not good at writing Lyon. ._., and Natsu will be slight ooc. My apologies.**_

* * *

Gray stood before his door with a silence he'd held since he left the guild earlier that night. He stared at his door for a moment longer, his mind racing on too many things at once for him concentrate on one single thing. Absentmindedly, his hand reached into his pocket and pulled out the key to his apartment. It wasn't until he was standing in the middle of the darkened room did he realize he was finally home. He turned on the light and winced when the sudden shock of light temporarily burned his pupils. After giving his eyes a moment to adjust, he unshielded them and looked around. Immediately he noticed there wasn't a single speck of dust to be seen in the area, and he knew either Mira or Erza had come over and dusted his place while he was asleep. He made a quick mental note to thank them later.

Despite the fact he'd slept for nearly three weeks, he was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to head to his bedroom and fall asleep. He stripped himself of his shirt and pants as he headed for his bed, it's silvery sheets and blanket calling for him. _'Silver…'_ He instinctively rubbed the tattoo on his right arm as memories of his father rose in his mind. But exhaustion caused him to push the thoughts aside, and he stumbled over to the bed and slid under the silky blanket. He buried his face into the pillow, letting out a long sigh as he closed his heavy eyelids and let the darkness take him away into a dreamless world.

* * *

Natsu, on the other hand, was still wide awake when he reached his house and got in bed. He stared at the ceiling above as he remembered Gray's reaction from earlier.

_"There isn't any cure for that, Gray. It's permanent." There had been a silence that'd fallen in the room, and Natsu studied Gray carefully by his side. He could see some shock in those blue-gray eyes. Or, well… blue-gray __**eye**__. The other eye… He stole a quick glance at it, for it was the first time he actually to get a good look at it. The iris was a hypnotizing blue – almost the color of ice when he thought about it – and rimming the outer part of the iris was a dark, blood red that contrasted the light blue. _'Its…beautiful,' _Natsu thought offhandedly. Gray's hands curled into fists and he grit his teeth, pulling Natsu from his thoughts. Gray hadn't looked all that surprised by the news, he looked more…disappointed and angry, really. "You knew, didn't you…"_

_Gray gave a curt nod. "I knew this might be a possibility, that if I were to half-demonize myself I might end up staying that way forever. I just…hoped that it wouldn't..."_

_"Well, I mean, it's not __**that**__ bad. It could have been worse." That certainly hadn't helped Gray's sudden foul mood. The ice mage gave out a low growl at the comment. It was obvious Natsu hadn't fully realized just how many __**problems**__ Gray's new appearance would cause._

_"I wanna go downstairs," Gray finally said after some time. Natsu blinked at the sudden statement._

_"Well then go."_

_"I can't by myself, you idiot," Gray snapped back. "I haven't walked for the last eighteen days, my legs aren't going to be able to fully support my weight by themselves right away."_

_"Oh. Then here," Natsu grabbed Gray's left arm and placed it around the back of his shoulders. Immediately, he noticed Gray's demonized skin was colder than his normal flesh, but luckily not by much. It also had a much more tougher feeling; it was still soft but it felt like the skin would be harder to break than usual. Gray slid off the bed and immediately had to place his weight on Natsu. The pinkette wrapped his arm around Gray's waist to help support him better and tried hard not to think about how close he was to his secret love. There was a sudden awkwardness between the two, and Natsu gave a grunt to break it. "You're heavier than you look, fat-ass."_

_"Tch, you're one to talk. You're like a sac of lead when you get off a train."_

_"It's not like I can help it, we dragon slayers get motion sickness!"_

_"Which is pretty pathetic if you ask me," Gray mumbled under his breath._

_"How about I drop you on your face and you can crawl downstairs, ya damn stripper!"_

_"How about you quit yelling in my ear, flame brain!" Natsu was a little taken back at how serious the last insult was thrown. Looking over, he noticed Gray had his head tilted away and a small look of pain on his features. Natsu furrowed his brows._

_"What's wrong?"_

_"Nothing. It's just…you're yelling actually hurt."_

_"It must be because you're half demon," Natsu stated, his voice softening. "Demons have heightened senses. It's just your left ear, right?" Gray gave a nod. "And your sense of smell, is it any better?"_

_"No, it's about the same."_

_"Hey, Gray?" He received a slight hum in response and he looked at the ground as they headed for the stairs. "About what happened during that fight… I just wanted to–"_

_"Gray-sama is awake!" (That shriek did wonders for his new hearing ability.) Gray was nearly tackled – yes, __**tackled**__ – by nearly half the guild with Erza and Juvia at the front of the line. Despite the fact that Gray couldn't really stand on his own, he managed to dodge Juvia's hug. Erza's, however, was impossible to avoid. Her hug had him seeing stars for a moment but he let her continue to hug him anyway. Glancing around, Gray spotted Laxus and Freed across the room and let out a relieved sigh. The last time he was awake, the Raijin Tribe was still sick. Everyone in the guild looked to be in good condition, though some were still bandaged in a few places. He was shocked to see a few different things, though. Like Wendy's hair, how it was cut short. He'd come to love her long hair but the way it was now also matched her. Then there was the couples._

_Levy was with Gajeel, smiling happily at him as she pointed over at Gray. She had her arm through his as she pulled him over. Elfman and Ever were side by side, stealing glances at each other whenever they could as they chatted. And Jellal was with Erza now that the redhead was done giving Gray a (painful) long hug. In his opinion, it took them all too long to finally get together. Once the guild had quieted down, Gray gave a small smile. He opened his mouth to talk when the door to the guild burst open and in came walking a very worried looking…Lyon?_

_"Lyon asked me to notify him when you woke up," Mira explained, her usual cheery smile on his face. "He's been in Magnolia waiting for you to get better."_

_"You idiot," Lyon grit out. "What the hell were you thinking?" Though the light-haired ice mage would never admit it, he deeply cared for Gray despite the fact he acted as if he despised him. They were, after all, adopted brothers "I already watched you die once–" Now __**that**__ definitely caught Natsu's attention. Gray had died once before? How was that possible when the damn stripper was standing right beside him? And __**when**__ did he die? Gray sweat-dropped. He forgot about that. Ever since they fought the dragons after the Magic Tournaments, Lyon had been a little protective of Gray (though he tried not to show it). "–and then I'm told you nearly died again?" Despite the fact he was yelling, Lyon wore a look of relief as his eyes landed on the younger ice mage._

_"Well well, look what the cat dragged in," Gray teased, giving a smirk._

_"Don't give me that. All the guilds have been waiting to hear if you're alright or not."_

_"They have?"_

_"Of course they have! Everyone in Fairy Tail has been considered heroes for saving Fiore." Confusion painted Gray's face and Lyon gave an exasperated sigh. "You really are an idiot."_

_"Hey!"_

_"But all that aside, how are you feeling?" It was the number one question everyone had on their mind. Was the demon-half affecting Gray's mentality in any way? Gray gave a halfhearted shrug._

_"I feel pretty much normal."_

_"'Pretty much?' Why, what's wrong?"_

_"Are you in pain?"_

_"Do you feel weird?"_

_"No, nothing like that," Gray interrupted. "I mean, I feel fine. Just tired and a little sore." He had a feeling the wounds Silver inflicted on him during battle might scar, and he wanted to check them after he got home. It was about that moment when he realized that Natsu was still helping him stand. He tested out the strength of his legs and noticed they were better. "Natsu, you can let go now."_

_"O-Oh. Alright." Gray thought he felt Natsu's touch linger longer than it should have when he pulled away, but decided it was probably just his imagination. Natsu cast one glance at Gray while the ice mage looked away before pushing his way through the crowd and made his way over to the bar to where Happy was._

Gray had left twenty minutes later, and Natsu had left a minute after that. He didn't fail to notice how quiet Gray had gotten once he'd left, and he couldn't help but wonder what was on the ice mage's mind. Still, those words hadn't left Natsu's mind. _"I already watched you die once."_ There was no way Gray died while he was in Fairy Tail, the popsicle bastard was too strong for that. Not too mention he would have heard about it. Was it before he joined, when he was still under the care of Ur? He was curious to find out, but if it had something to do with Ur, Gray wouldn't answer it so easily. Ur was a touchy subject to him at times, as was Deliora. As for his hometown… Natsu remembered asking Gray about his hometown once.

_"Don't ask about that,"_ was Gray's icy reply. So Natsu never brought it up again. But he desperately wanted to ask him about it now, and about Silver. That bastard's ice had froze him solid with only a flick of his wrist. And now Gray had that power. Gray had pretty much kinda_ almost_ been Natsu's equal (not that Natsu would _ever_ admit that aloud) before, but with that new devil slayer magic… He grinned ear from ear at the thought of having a duel with his rival. It'd be a while before he could challenge him, seeing as Gray was still wounded, but the moment he was better…

Oh yes, he was definitely looking forward to that fight.

* * *

When morning came around, Gray gave a sigh as he opened his eyes and stared at the wall of his room. He wasn't exactly looking forward to going out in public today, especially with his new appearance. He knew he didn't have any jackets with hoods at the moment and the last hooded cloak he owned got shredded and burned in a fight during a mission. He lifted his hand and stared at it. He didn't even recognize it, it was like it belonged to somebody else. _'A demon.'_ Dropping his arm, he gave a sigh as the smell of food cooking reached his nostrils. _'I wonder what's for breakf–'_

Wait a minute.

He jumped out of bed and ran into his kitchen where he found Natsu standing at the stove with a pan in his hand, whistling a little tune as he happily cooked away. "Natsu?" Upon hearing his name, Natsu turned and found Gray standing half naked in the doorway.

"Hey there, striper! Get a good rest?"

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"I'm cooking breakfast. I hope you like eggs on toast!" Natsu gave a bright smile as he turned back towards the stove, leaving Gray confused and slightly taken back. Natsu was…cooking? He distantly remembered the pinkette saying he loved to cook (and was rather good at it), but Gray just thought by 'cooking' he meant shoving everything in a fire until it was a crisp. He gave a shrug as he turned around and headed into the bathroom. If Natsu wanted to cook for him then he had no complaints. Upon entering the bathroom, he was once again taken back as he looked in the mirror and got a good look at his new appearance.

* * *

"So are you going to tell me the real reason why you're here?" Gray asked as he sat at the kitchen table while Natsu slid the eggs from the pan onto the toast before him.

"Jeez, you really wanna know, huh?" Natsu, despite the voice of annoyance, still wore a smile. He loved cooking, especially when it was for other people. And for the past few years, he'd only had the chance to cook for himself and Happy. So cooking for Gray was something he enjoyed immensely, even if he _was_ his rival. "Anyway, Erza asked me to bring that to you," he motioned towards the fabric that lay on Gray's couch. The raven could tell it was a hooded cloak by just glancing at it. "She said you'd probably want it before leaving the house. Then I remembered you haven't eaten for a while so I decided to make some breakfast. Hope ya like it!"

"Uhm…Thanks, Natsu," Gray said, not knowing what else to say. As much as he loved to tease Natsu, he just couldn't bring himself to do it at the moment for two reasons. One, he wasn't exactly in the mood, and two, Natsu looked too happy at the moment. Like, _really_ happy. He picked up his fork and cut off a piece of egg and toast, eating the small piece slowly. Natsu may be a good cook, but it was still _Natsu_; the guy who loved spicy, hot food. The polar opposite of Gray. The raven chewed carefully, his hand already resting on the glass of water in case he needed to douse the burn of any spices the pinkette might have added. But to his surprise, no burn came. In fact, the food was actually– "This is delicious," he complimented. He could tell Natsu added some cinnamon to the toast, but not too much where it overpowered the egg and toast. "This is really good, Natsu."

The pinkette's smile seemed to grow with every compliment. "Thanks, Gray!" He began to eat from his own plate, and Gray couldn't help but feel his cheeks heat a little from seeing the pinkette's bright smile. "So how are you feeling?" The question came when they were almost finished with their food and Gray gave a small shrug once more.

"I'm fine," he answered, taking the last bite of his food. Natsu wanted to stand up, point at him, and scream _Lies!,_ but didn't. It was obvious to him that _something_ was bothering Gray. And getting Gray to talk about his feelings could be like pulling teeth at times. So he let it go…for the moment. Finishing his breakfast, he put Gray's and his plate in the sink before turning to the raven.

"A lot of your food went bad while you were sleeping, so I suggest going grocery shopping when you get the chance. Oh, and Master said take it easy for a few days if you want. Erza, Lucy, and Gajeel are taking mission to pay for your rent this month."

"Gajeel?" Gray asked, raising a brow. He wasn't expecting that dragon slayer to help him with his rent.

"Yeah, he said he wanted to repay you in some way for helping him out in that last battle."

"He doesn't have to do that," Gray mumbled under his breath. After all, Fairy Tail looks out for each other. "And you?"

"Mira asked me to watch over you for a few days," he said nonchalantly with a light shrug. "We don't know how you're going to be affected by this new…" He glanced at Gray's left side. "…look. So she wanted me to keep you company for a bit."

"I don't need a babysitter," Gray bit, sending a glare. "I'm fine, alright?"

"I didn't say babysitter, I said keep ya company!" Natsu glared back.

"I don't need this right now," Gray growled, throwing on the cloak and pulling the hood on, and heading for the front door.

"Huh? Hey! Wait, Gr–" The raven shut the door on the pinkette and made sure to keep his left hand in his pocket. He got a few glances but otherwise was left alone as he walked through town. That is, until he heard the familiar steps of a dragon slayer approach him. "Hey, stripper! What the hell was that?! Hey! Don't ignore me!"

"Natsu, I'm _really_ not in the mood for a fight, alright?" Gray managed to grit out.

"Well I wasn't going to fight with you, I was just trying to tell you why Mira sent me here and you kinda flipped out on me." Flip out? No, that wasn't flipping out. Flipping out was freezing the pink bastard and running through town without a hood on while yelling like a maniac. The raven gave a thick sigh, using his right hand to massage his temple. Natsu noticed the action and gave a worried look. "Hey, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, just a small headache is all."

"If you want, I can grab you some medicine to help it go away." The raven stopped and turned to face Natsu, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"You're being awfully nice to me," he pointed out. "The Natsu I know would have tried to pick a fight with me already. So the question is, are _you_ okay?"

"I'm fine," the pinkette answered immediately. "I'm just doing what Mira told me to do. She can be just as scary as Erza ya know." The memory of what Mira did to Erza when they lost the rock-paper-scissor contest to find out which Fairy Tail team had been the winner in the tournaments made the pinkette shiver for a moment. Gray continued to stare at Natsu a moment longer, knowing there was another reason the pinkette was hanging around but didn't know what it was. He turned and continued his way towards the grocery store, Natsu right behind him as they walked in silence. Whatever the reason, he could find out later. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to get some groceries and get back home.

* * *

"Mira, are you sure it was a good idea to send, of all people, _Natsu_ to look after Gray?" Lucy asked, a look of worry on her features at just the thought of the two trying to get together on their own. "Doesn't it seem counterproductive in a way?"

"No, of course not," Mira chirped back, drying a mug before setting it back on the shelf.

"But they fight all the time!" Lucy replied. "That's not 'watching over Gray', it's 'fighting Gray every chance he gets'!"

"Don't be silly," Mira, again, chirped. Lucy face-planted on the bar's surface, letting out a small groan. "Natsu cares deeply for Gray, if he thinks there's something wrong with Gray, he won't fight him. Unless a fight is what Gray needs."

"And the same applies to Gray," Erza injected, taking a seat next to Lucy. "If Gray thinks there's something wrong with Natsu, he can get him to talk about what's bothering him."

"It seems like they won't confide in anybody else," Mira smiled. "As long as I can remember, if either of the two had any problems, they always helped each other out."

"Exactly. Now, Lucy, are you ready for our mission? Gajeel's already outside waiting for us."

"Yeah, I am. I'm still a little worried about those two being together though." Lucy gave a sigh as she walked out of the guild and looked up at the sky. Something was nagging her at the back of her mind, and it made her worry even more. "I feel as if something bad is going to happen soon…"

* * *

**Just wanna say thank you to everyone who's reviewed so far. ^^ The cooking idea came from one of the filler episodes, **_**Natsu Devours a Village**_**. Natsu claims he's a good cook, especially when it comes to flambés. XD But yeah, hope this isn't too disappointing or anything. Like I said, I welcome criticism as long as you don't slaughter me with it. ^^ So please review! Please? **

_~»roo the ice elemental psycho«_


	4. Chapter 4: A Simple Breeze

Whatever the Cost

* * *

Chapter Four: The Secret's Already Out

* * *

_Some folk we never forget  
__Some kind we never forgive  
__Haven't seen the back of us yet  
__We'll fight as long as we live_

_-Song of the Lonely Mountain (Neil Finn)_

* * *

Grocery shopping had gone smoother than Gray had predicted it would. In fact, it turned more into an educational lesson than anything. Natsu was there to tell him _so many things_ about food. Which brands to get, which seasonings brought out the taste of a meal, which meats cooked better, which dairy products were healthier. Gray had no idea that Natsu was an expert when it came down to food. (Desserts, though, of course, were Gray's department; Natsu didn't seem to know very much about them unless they were hot.) If he hadn't known the pinkette, he would have guessed the teen was a chef rather than a mage.

The thought of Natsu being a good housewife popped into his mind and he sputtered with laughter at the mere idea of the pinkette wearing a frilly apron and floral-patterned oven mittens. Natsu gave him a look from the sideline, and wondered if he should start worrying about his friend's mental health. "You okay?"

"Y-Yeah," Gray replied, his laughs finally dying down. "I just thought of something funny. So is there anything else you want to get?"

"Nah, I think this is enough. Huh?" Looking to the side the pinkette realized they were passing by the meat section. He deviated from the raven's side, picking up a package of grade A beef. His mouth watered at the sight of it, his eyes solely focused on the item. Now it was Gray's turn to give a look and worry for his friend's mentality. Making his way to the side of the pinkette, he glanced over to see what it was that captivated the fire mage so much. "This is the best beef ever," Natsu explained before Gray could even ask. "I've tried it only once before when Guildarts bought it for me when the guild was holding a party." He gave a fond smile at the memory before giving a despondent sigh and light shrug. "Too bad it's so expensive. I'd buy it all the time if was cheaper. Anyway, I guess we better go to the checkout lanes now."

As Natsu left, Gray – curious to know just how much the beef was – leaned over and glanced at the price. His eyes widened in utter surprise. _'Holy shit! How can beef be so expensive?! I could buy new pans and dishes at that price!'_ He instantly turned away from the meat sections to catch up with Natsu. It was ridiculous how expensive some foods could. But what was even more ridiculous is that people actually _bought_ said overpriced foods. Luckily, Gray was _not_ one of those people. Finally, he caught up with the waiting pinkette. "Jeez you're slow," Natsu muttered.

"Tch," was the only response he got.

* * *

As they were walking down the street, him and Natsu made small talk. But still, the question about Gray's hometown pulled at Natsu's mind constantly. Finally, he decided to just jump in and go for it. "Hey, Gray? Can I ask you sort of a personal question?"

"I guess…"

"Will you tell me about…" The image of an icy glare appeared in his mind. Natsu faded off, remembering the last time he asked the question and the reaction he'd gotten from Gray. The raven had just woken up yesterday, asking something so personal (and stressing, he guessed) suddenly seemed like a not so bright idea. The pinkette shook his head. "Never mind." Looking up, Gray glanced at his friend beside him; his curiosity being peaked.

"Might as well just finish your question, flame brain. The most I can do is say I won't answer it."

"It's fine. I'll ask it another time."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Gray asked, stopping to get a good look at his friend. The skin under the pinkette's eyes seemed slightly more darker than they should have been, and he gave a frown at the sight. "You didn't sleep last night, did you."

"I got some sleep," he answered. "I just couldn't _stay_ asleep. I guess I was too excited."

"Excited?" Gray had a pretty good idea just what had excited the pinkette so much. _'He probably wants to have a fight with me soon.'_ Of course, that was Natsu. Always looking for ways to get stronger. And that usually meant fights and thinking with his fists. It was about that time did Gray notice that something, or rather, some_one_ missing. "…Where's Happy?"

"He's staying with Lisanna for now while I…hang with you." He had to be careful about he worded his sentence, he didn't want Gray to snap again like he did earlier. Apparently he did it correctly, for Gray didn't give a scowl or a glare. The rest of the way back was quiet, but not uncomfortably so. Natsu took the chance to think about a few things before they reached the apartment, and stole glances at Gray every now and then. The mage's eyes would watch the crowd carefully as he kept his head down under the hood and made sure to keep his left hand in his pocket. Really, Natsu didn't really understand why Gray was so freaked out about his appearance. The people of Magnolia and Fiore would understand the sacrifice he made and accept his new look. The guild did, without any problems whatsoever, so the public would too. In fact, Gray's new demon side looked kinda…cool. It seemed to match him in a way. And that eye…

Gray felt on edge being in a crowded area, but his attention was also focused on the fact that Natsu kept glancing at him. It made him think back about when he was still asleep, stuck floating in the darkness that filled his world. He remembered the voice he'd hear, what the voice had said. A few sentences were fuzzy and unclear, but he remembered quite a few of them.

_"Gray? Gray! Wake up! Hey man, come on!"  
__"He's going to be alright, right?"  
__"What do you mean there's no cure? There has to be! Let me go! No! I refuse to believe it!"  
__"Hey, ice-block. You plan on waking up any time soon? The guild's getting kinda boring without you. Not to mention I'm getting tired of sitting in this chair all day. It's friggin' uncomfortable. So if you don't want me to kick your ass, you better wake up."  
__"All the reporters are waiting for you to wake up so they can interview you. Lyon stopped by today, too. To check up on you. He really does care about you, even though he tries to hide it. Which he kinda fails at, you can see the worry in his eyes. He said the other guilds want to know when you wake up. Tch, aren't you the popular one..."  
__"Damn it, why won't you wake up?! Get up! Ya hear me? __**Get up!**__"  
__"Hey. The guild's really starting to worry about you. Wendy said you should have woken up a while ago. A few of the others are starting to think you might not wake up because of your…demon half. So, if you can hear me…please, wake up.  
__"You better be alright when you wake up. You better be alright."_

Why had he only heard Natsu's voice? Was it because he harbored…special feelings for the dragon slayer? He clenched his jaw at the though. There was no way he could be in love, and least of all with Natsu. The pinkette was an idiot to the fullest and a constant pain in the ass. But, then again, he could also be kinda caring and thoughtful…and protective…and sexy–

_'Okay, Gray, let's not go there and stop those thoughts before they can develop into something inappropriate,' _he thought, pushing down the image of the bright smile Natsu had given earlier while cooking. That smile had been…so genuine and filled with happiness. Speaking of cooking… Gray gave a small groan when he realized he forgot to buy napkins, dish soap, and shampoo. "I have to run back to the store when he get to back to the apartment," he muttered under his breath. "I forgot to grab a few things."

"I can take the bag you have and you can go to the store now," Natsu offered, being pulled from his (almost inappropriate) thoughts. Gray looked at him warily. The pinkette was already carrying two paper bags of groceries, adding a third… "Come on, ice-block, just give me the bag and the key to your door. Getting through your window with groceries will be a little tricky without Happy to help me out."

"What is it with you and entering through windows?" He stuck the key in Natsu's pocket and carefully added the third bag to Natsu's arms. "You sure you got it?"

"I'm fine. Jeez, way to show your lack of faith in me."

"You're carrying groceries," Gray deadpanned. "How exactly is that showing lack of faith?"

"You'd be surprised." Uhh…okay then. "See ya in a few." Gray didn't bother to answer back as he turned and headed for the store once more.

* * *

Natsu was bored. He had already put the groceries away and made himself a quick snack, and was now lying on the couch staring at the ceiling. He took in a deep breath, the scent of winter and pine filling his mind. He loved how Gray smelled. _'…Okay, that sounded a bit stalker-ish.'_ Natsu wasn't a big fan of winter, the heavy snowing could sometimes bring the lamest missions to the guild. But, he wasn't going to lie, he loved having snowball fights. It was like their pillow fights, except more awesome. And while it may have ended up with them wrapped in bandages, it was still the most fun he would have during the white season. He hated to admit it, but it was one battle where Gray would _always_ win. (Everything had to be a competition to Natsu.) He blamed it on the fact that the mage was raised in the snowy country of Ishban and had plenty of practice with his old friends.

_"Hey Gray, tell me about your hometown. What was–" Gray flinched before he turned towards Natsu and gave one of the iciest glares the pinkette had ever seen._

_"Don't ask about that," Gray growled. Natsu's mouth immediately snapped shut at the mage's sudden change of attitude. He didn't fail, however, to see the pain hidden in those blue-gray eyes that were still glaring at him._

Honestly, what was wrong about asking about someone's hometown? Natsu gave a huff. He'd known Gray for nearly ten years and yet he knew so little about the mage. He knew more about Lucy, someone he'd known for only a year, than he knew about his best friend and secret crush. Why was Gray always so closed off about his feelings? "That's it," he said, trying to kill the silence that surrounded him. "When he gets back from the store, I'm asking him a crap load of questions! And nothing's gonna stop me!"

Then he heard several screams from outside. Rolling off the couch, he ran to the window in Gray's bedroom and stuck his head out the window to see what was wrong. He saw several people running through the street, one lady holding her crying daughter in her arms. "It was a monster, mommy!" A monster? In the middle of Magnolia?! That couldn't be right. He heard several more remarks from people as he hurried on by.

"It was a demon!"  
"A demon you say?"  
"Yeah, it had to be. You saw those markings."  
"That was no human."  
"But it looked like a human, didn't it?"

Natsu gave a frown. Demons and monsters in the middle of a city. Yeah, it made _perfect_ sense. If it was an actual demon or monster, there'd be a lot more panic going on and the sound of building being destroyed would probably echo through the city. He brought his head back into the apartment and closed the window, heading back towards the living room. As soon as he sat down on the couch though, the door slammed open and in came a panting Gray; startling Natsu back to his feet. The ice mage kicked the door and it closed with a loud slam. "What's–"

"Damn it!" Gray punched the wall nearest to him with enough force to create cracks.

"Gray? What's wro–"

"They _saw_," Gray grit out. Natsu still looked confused and he shook his head.

"I don't–"

"My hood came off and they _saw what I look like!_" Gray yelled, turning to face the pinkette. The dragon slayer took a step back when his eyes landed on Gray's demonized eye. The red that had been only rimming the edge of the iris had thrown slightly thicker. Natsu blinked, thinking back to what he just heard out the window. They couldn't have been talking about Gray…right?

"So, that screaming happened–"

"Because I'm a demon," Gray finished through clenched teeth.

Natsu gave a frown at the words. "You're not a demon, Gray. Just because half of you has been demonized doesn't mean that you–"

"Leave."

"What?"

"Leave. I want to be alone right now." The order came quietly and the tone left no room for arguments. Natsu hesitated for a moment, unsure whether leaving Gray alone at the moment was a good idea, before heading towards the door. He turned to ask the ice mage if he was sure he didn't want any company when Gray let out a small growl, "_Go_." The pinkette left, closing the door behind him. Gray gave a heavy sigh and headed for the couch, sitting down and running his hand through hair. He felt the headache from earlier turn into a migraine and he massaged his temples in an attempt to ease the pain.

Gray had been thinking of Natsu when a breeze had come by, blowing his hood back and revealing his face to the public. "I was distracted," he muttered, giving a sneer. "Just like when we were fight those Hatchlings." He had been distracted from the battle, trying to tell Juvia something that hadn't even been important. And that distraction had led to his death. And just now, he was distracted by thoughts surrounding Natsu when a fucking _simple breeze_ blew his hood back. He grit his teeth once more. That was _not_ how he planned to reveal himself to the public. He wanted to do it through Sorcerer Weekly, that way at least the people would read _why_ he looked like that now. It was a much more calmer way to come out. He remembered the horrified and surprised expressions of those who saw his face, and the terrified scream of a little girl seeing a _monster._

No, not a monster...

A _demon_.

* * *

"Where's Gray?" Natsu was suddenly startled from his thoughts and he took a step back, looking up to see who was talking to him and where he was. He was surprised to see he'd walked himself to the guild, and that it was Erza talking to him. He gave a blink. Wasn't she, Lucy, and Gajeel supposed to be going on a mission today? "I asked where Gray is. Is he alright?"

"Gray's fine," Natsu answered. "Well, not exactly _fine_. He's kinda pissed right now. And he's at home. Why?"

"I just heard what happened," Erza stated. "When we heard screams, we turned around and came to see what was going on. Several scared and concerned citizens came to ask Master to get rid of a hooded demon walking around Magnolia." She gave a soft sigh. "I'm guessing Gray wanted to be alone at the moment?" The pinkette gave a nod to the question. "I don't blame him. His secret coming out so soon and suddenly… He must be pretty stressed."

"I think he's just overreacting," Natsu muttered. Erza's eyes hardened a little.

"I have a feeling you don't fully understand just how pressuring this is on Gray. He might be the first half-human half-demon being in the continent and he doesn't know how it's going to affect him."

"Well if he hadn't demonized himself to begin with, this never would have happened! I would have been fine in that fight! He's always so damn protective of his friends, like he's afraid we're gonna die at the drop of a hat." Okay, so maybe he knew he probably _would not have been fine_ if that curse Momento Mori had hit him head on, and yeah he was slightly over exaggerating of how protective Gray was of his friends, but that wasn't the point! Lucy, who had just walked up to Erza, gave a blink at Natsu's words.

"Well you can't blame him," Lucy said. "I would probably be protective of my friends too if I were him."

"What do you mean?"

"Huh? Wait, you do know about Gray's past, don't you?"

"He wasn't there when Gray explained it," Erza reminded Lucy. Natsu looked between the two female mages, waiting for one of them to answer his question.

"Oh yeah. Well, Gray lived in Ishban growing up, but one day Deliora appeared. The demon destroyed his entire city in under a day. He lost every person he'd ever known, and everything he loved had been stripped away so suddenly. That was when Ur discovered him in a pile of rubble. She took him in and taught him magic, but he wasn't exactly satisfied with what she was teaching. He didn't realize back then exactly how maker magic worked. Then he heard that Deliora was nearby, and decided to leave Ur and challenge the demon himself. He thought in order to get rid of all the darkness and anger inside himself, he'd have to kill Deliora himself. And… You know the rest," Lucy quietly finished.

"He…He lost everyone?" Natsu was nearly speechless. When Igneel left, Natsu felt his heart throb so painfully he thought it would literally break. When Lisanna died, he felt a part of him suddenly become empty. Losing a friend had been so hard, and having Igneel leave him when he was younger had hurt so much…

But to imagine losing both parents?

To imagine having your home and entire city destroyed before your very eyes?

To imagine losing _every_ _single_ _friend and person you've ever known?_

And then to lose your teacher to the same demon?

_"A decade ago, this immortal demon ravaged Ishban. Countless people lost their lives…"  
__"If that ice melts and Deliora's revived, there's no way we'd be able to stop it."  
__"They have no idea how horrific Deliora and its wrath is!"  
__"But Ur would still be alive if it wasn't for Gray!"  
__"The fact Ur died because of me will never change, no matter how much times passes. I have to take responsibility for it at some point. I'm going to do it here. I've been prepared to die for the past ten years!"  
__"I can't worry about the future! I have to do this to keep it from killing us all right now!"  
__"NATSU!"_

Natsu couldn't even begin to imagine how painful that must have been, or how traumatizing. It was no wonder Gray had been so shaken when he saw the demon from his past appear on Galuna island. And it was no wonder Gray was so ready to use Iced Shell to stop the demon; he'd rather die than see anymore people he cared about die. "I had no idea," Natsu whispered under his breath. He'd noticed Gray was overprotective of friends a lot of times, but he just thought that was how Gray was. For him to be like that because he was afraid of losing yet another friend…

_"Hey Gray, tell me about your hometown. What was–"  
__"Don't ask about that."_

"We should leave him alone for a while," Erza said. "Come, Natsu. I'll buy you something to eat."

"Y-Yeah," he said, coming out of his thoughts. "Something to eat sounds good."

That was a lie.

He was _far_ from being hungry.

* * *

**Sorry it's short. And there is a reason why Gray's face was shown so soon to the public. All shall be revealed. Muahaha! XD And I apologize for the chapter coming out so late! I had to get the FT dvd's from storage and rematch the Galuna Island mission to actually see if Natsu had heard anything about Gray's past. Hope this chapter was okay-ish! If anything seemed out of place, lemme know please! Thank you! And take mah poll if you're free a moment?**

_~»roo the ice elemental psycho«_


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